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A. G. MUA/[FORD su A. ANTHONY. DIRECT ACTING STEAM PUMPING ENGINE.

NQ. 454,059. Patented June 16, 1891.

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DIRECT AGTING STEAM PUMEING ENGINE.

Patented June 16,1891.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.v

ARTHUR GEORGE MUMFORD AND ALFRED ANTHONY, OF COLCHESTER, ENGLAND.

DIRECT-ACTING STEAM PUMPING-ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 454,059, dated June 16, 1891.

Application led December 17, 1890. Serial No. 375,053. (No model.) Patented in England November 6, 1888, No. 16,015, and

October 1l, 1890, No. 16,281.

To all whom t may concern:

Beit known that we, ARTHUR GEORGE MUM- EoED and ALFRED ANTHONY, both subjects of the Queenof Great Britain, residing at Colchester, in the county of Essex, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvelnents in Direct-Acting Steam or other Fluid Pumping-Engines, (for which We have ob`- tained Letters Patent in Great Britain numbered 16,015, bearing date November 6, 1888, and 16,281, bearing date October 11, 1890,) of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in direct-acting steam or other fluid pumping-engines having duplex cylinders, the pistons of which act as distributing -valves to the respective other cylinders; and the objects of our improvements are, first, to enable one of the pistons to start should they both be at a state of rest at or about the center of the length of their stroke-z'. c., at or about the center of the lengths of the cylinders; second, to balance the pressure on the pistons when steam at a very high pressure is used; third, to prevent the rotation of the pistons in their cylinders, and, lastly, to generally render this type of pumping-engine more efficient.

It is well known that in the type of pumping-engine forming the subject of our invention it is necessary, if the pump has to work against a heavy pressure, that the plun gers of the pump should make a distinct pause at theends of their strokes-that is, they should remain at rest a period more or less prolonged before reversing their motion. To insure this action it is essential that there should be a certain amount of lap on the parts of each piston which give steam to the other cylinderthat is to say, each piston should travel a certain distance about the middle of the length of its cylinder withou t admitting steam to or exhausting from either end of the other cylinder, so as not to reverse the motion of the other piston too quickly. The result of this is that it is possible for both pistons to get in such a position at or about the center of the length of the cylinders that neither can give steam to or exhaust from either end of the other cylinder, and consequently the engine comes to a state of rest from which it cannot be started. To overcome this difficulty we form supplemental ports between the bores of the cylinders and we form supplemental ports in the pistons, so that should both pistons be at a state of rest at or about the center of the length of their cylinders both ends of either one cylinder or the other, on each side of the piston, are in communication with the steam-chamber and exhaustchamber, respectively` thereby allowing the piston of the said cylinder to move either forward or backward and so start or restart the engine. It is also well known that if steam at a high pressure is used with this type of pumping-engine the pistons will not work smoothly unless the exhaust-recesses in the pistons are reduced to the smallest possible area, which cannot be done without impairing the action of the engine. XVe therefore overcome this difficulty by balancing each piston by forming suitably-proportioned recesses in them and by connecting the said recesses by suitable passages with the exhaustrecesses, thereby equalizing the pressure on the top and bottom of the piston.

Ve attain the objects of our invention by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1, Sheet No. 1,is a view in sectional side elevation through one of ,the cylinders. Fig. 2, Sheet No. 2, is a view in sectional plan through the center of the cylinders. Fig. 3, Sheet No. 3, is a View in transverse section through the central ports of the cylinders and through the end ports at the back of each piston, the pistons being both at the front or stuffing-box end of the cylinders. Fig. 4., Sheet No. 3, is a transverse section through the central ports in the cylinders and through the central ports in both pistons, the pistons being both in the middle of their stroke. Figs. 5 and (S, Sheet No. 4, are views of the bottom sides of the pistons, showing their end and central ports. 'Figs 7 and 8, Sheet No. 4, are views of the top sides ot' the pistons, showing the annularsteam-passages; and Fig. 9, Sheet No. 5, is a viewin transverse section through the central ports of the cylinders and pistons.

Figs. l() and 1l, Sheet No. 5, are views of the bottom sides ofboth pistons; and Fig.12, Sheet No. 5, is a View of the top of one piston, all showing the arrangement tor balancing the pistons.

Throughout the views similar parts are marked with like letters of reference.

Referring to the several figures of the drawings A and A designate the cylinders, preferably placed side by side and in close proximity to one another, as shown by the accompanying drawings.

B and B designate the pistons, which are made of a length greater than half the length of the cylinders and either hollow to receive the steam within them or practically solid with annular steam-spaces ZJ round them, as shown. These pistons are fitted with pistonrods B2 B2, adapted to be coupled direct onto the plungers or plunger-rods of the pumps.

C designates the steam-chamber common to both cylinders A and A and communicating therewith by the holes or passages c and c'.

D designates the exhaust-chamber common to bot-h cylinders andin communication therewith bythe ports (l and d.

E and E designate the steam slots or ports in the piston B, which are connected with the steam-chamber() by means of suitable passages b2 b2, the steam-slot at the front end of the piston direct and the one at the rear end thereof through the annular recess b.

E and E designate the steam slots or ports in the piston B', which are connected with the steam-chamber C by a suitable passage U2* bm, the steam-slot at the front end of the piston through the annular recess Z1 and the one at the rear end thereof direct.

Fand F designate -the exhaust-recesses in the piston B, and F and F designate those in the piston B.

e designates the steam-port between the center` of the cylinder A and the rear end of the cylinder A.

e2 designates the steam-port. between 'the center of the cylinder A and the front end of the cylinder A.

e' designates the steam-port between the center ot' the cylinder A and the front end of the cylinder A, and e designates the steamport between the center of the cylinder A and the rear e'nd of the cylinder A. cl and d designate the exhaust-ports in the center of the cylinders A and A', respectively.

So far the construction of the pumping-cngine presents no novel features, being already well known, and we will now proceed to'describe the novel parts constituting our invention.

At the center of the length of cach cylinder are formed two supplemental ports A2 and A3, connecting the bores of the two cylinders together, and preferably placed below the center of the cylinders and one above the other, as shown in the accompanying drawings. At the center of the length of the piston B are formed two supplemental ports b3 and b4, co-

inciding when the piston is at or about the center of its stroke with the supplemental ports A2 and A8 and putting them respectively into communication with the steam and exhaust of the cylinder A through the ports c and (l, respectively. At the center of the length of the piston B are two supplemental ports b5 and D, coinciding when the piston is at or about the center of its stroke with the supplemental ports A2 and A, putting them in communication with the rear and front ends of the cylinder A by means of the ports c and e, thereby admitting steam from the steam-chamber C to the rear end of the cylinder A, behind the piston B, through the ports and passages c, b3, A2, b5, and e, and opening the forward end of the cylinder' A in front of the piston B to the exhaust-chamber D through the ports and passages e', U, A3, b4, and d, as shown by Fig. 4, Sheet No. 3, and Fig. 9, Sheet No. 5. The lengths of these supplemental steam-ports are so proportioned that they begin to open to one another at the same moment that each piston respectively closes the end ports of its cylinder on the one side, and remain open till the piston has opened the end ports of its cylinder on the other side.

rlhe action of the supplemental ports is as follows: When both pistons are in such aposition that neither can give steam to the other by the end ports, communication is opened through all the supplemental ports in both cylinders and pistons, as shown in Fig. 4f, Sheet No. 3, and Fig. 9, Sheet No. 5, of the accompanying drawings. Steam then passes by the port b3 in the piston B through the port A2, and thence by the port lf in the piston B to the steam-port e3 in cylinder A', and thence to the back of the piston B. At the same time the exhaust-steam from the other end of the piston B passes by the port e' and supplemental port l) in piston B to the supplemental port A3, thence by the port b4`in the piston B and the exhaust-port d to exhaust-chamber D, as shown by the arrows in Fig. 2, Sheet No. 2, and Fig. 4, Sheet No. 3, of the accompanying drawings. This causes the piston B to make a stroke toward the forward-that is, the stuliing-box-end of the cylinder A, and gives steam by the port c2 to the piston B', which then makes a stroke, giving steam to the piston B, when the pistons continue working in the usual manner.

It will be obvious that it is immaterial to which end of the cylinder the steam is admitted by the supplemental ports, or which piston is adapted to be iirst set in motion, as

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the supplemental ports can be so arranged as plemental ports in the cylinder before they same ports in the other piston have arrived at them, so that the communication, as shown in Fig. 4, Sheet No. 3, is never established unless one of the pistons is out of its proper position with respect to the other, and both positions are so placed that neither can give steam to the other by the end ports.

lVhen `it becomes necessary to balance the pistons, owing either to the size of the eX- hauSt-recesses or to the high pressure of the steam used, we effect this object in the manner shown by Figs. 9, l0, ll, and l2, Sheet No. 5, of the accompanying drawings. We form on the top side of each piston an annular recess of an area equal to the areas 0f the two exhaust -recesses.. We designate these recesses balancing-recesses, and they are marked G and G on the drawings. These.

balancing-recesses are each put in communication with the two exhaust-recesses in each piston by any suitable passages, so that the exhaust-steam can gain access thereto.

In the construction of piston illustrated by Figs. 9, 10, ll, and l2, Sheet No. 5, ot the accompanying drawings,we simply drill or form holes g g, dac., and g g', 85e., between the eX- haust-recesses and the interior of each piston and from the interior of each piston to the balancing-recesses, but the communication may be made in any other suitable and convenient manner. Vhen we use balancing-recesses, we prefer to use two eXtra sets of piston-rings in each piston, as shown by Figs. lO, ll, and l2, Sheet No. 5, of the accompanying drawings, to prevent the leakage of steam through the balancing-recesses.

To prevent the rotation of the pistons in their cylinders,we use in each cylinder a stud or guide A4, screwed or otherwise xed to the cylinder-cover. These studs or guides are adapted to slide in longitudinal recesses B3 in the pistons, as shown by Figs. l, Sheet No. l, Figs. 3 and 4, Sheet No. 3, and Fig. 9, Sheet No. 5. By this arrangement we are enabled to use any type of piston and any arrangement of main induction and as found most convenient.

l/Ve Wish it to be particularly understood that we do not limit ourselves to the precise details of construction hereinb'efore described, and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, but hold ourselves at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall Within the spirit and scope of our invention.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim isl. In a steam pumping-engine having duplex cylinders the pistons. of which act as distributing-valves to the said cylinders, the supplemental ports located. centrally in the cylinders and pistons and adapted, when both pistons are in such a position that neither can give steam to or exhaust from either end of the cylinder containing the other by the usual means, to put the one end of one cylinder in communication with the steam andthe eduction ports,

other end thereof in communication with the eXhaust,-as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a pumping-enginehaving duplex cylinders the pistons of which act as distributing-valves to the said cylinders, the combination, with the said cylinders and pistons having suitable induction and eduction ports, of

the supplemental ports located centrally in the cylinders and their pistons and adapted to enable the engine to start or restart should both pistons be at a state of rest at or about the center of their strokes, and the balancing-recesses in the pistons, located on opposite sides of the pistons to the exhaust-recesses and adapted to equalize or balance the pressure on both sides of the said pistons, all combined, arranged, and operating as set forth.

3. In a pumping-engine having duplex cylindersV the pistons of which act as distributing-valves to the said cylinders, the combination, with the said cylinders and pistons having suitable induction and eduction ports, of the supplemental ports located centrally in the cylinders and pistons and adapted to enable the engine to start or restart should both pistons be at a state of rest at or about the center of their strokes, the balancing-recesses in the pistons, located in the opposite sides of the said pistons to the exhaust-recesses therein and adapted to equalize' or balance the pressure on both sides of the pistons, and the piston-rings in the pistons, located between the balancing and exhaust recesses of the said pistons, all combined, arranged, and operating as set forth.

Ll. In a pumping-engine having duplex cylinders the pistons of which act as distributing-valves to the said cylinders, the combination, with the said cylinders and pistons-having suitable induction and eduction ports, of the supplemental ports located centrally in the cylinders and their pistons and adapted to enable the engine to start or restart should both pistons be at a state of rest at or about the center of their strokes, the balancingrecesses in the pistons, located on the opposite sides ofy the said pistons to the exhaustrecesses therein and adapted to equalize or balance the pressure on both sides of the pistons, the piston-rings in each piston, located between the balancing and exhaust recesses therein and adapted to cut off the passage of steam between the said recesses, and the longitudinal recesses in the pistons, adapted to receive studs or their equivalents fixed to the cylinder-covers to prevent the rotation of thepistons in the cylinders, all combined, arranged, and operating as set forth. 4

5. In a pumping-engine having duplex cylinders the pistons of which each act as adistributing-valve to the other cylinder, the combination of the two supplemental ports A2 and A3, connecting the bores of the two cylinders A and A', the two supplemental ports h3 and b4 in the piston B, the former adapted to IOO IIO

put the Supplemental port A2 in communication with the steam-chest C and the latter adapted to pnt the supplemental port A3 in eolnmuniezttion with the exhaust-port d of the cylinder A, the two Supplemental ports b5 :tud la in the piston B', thel former adapted to put the suppleinen tnl ports A2 and A3 in eolnmuniezttion with the rear and front ends of the cylinder A by the steam-ports e e, respectively, and the studs or theii` equivalents A4 A", ixed to the covers of the cylin ders and engaging with the longitudinal re- 

